Primo Jr
}} The Primo Jr is a 4×4 TLR camera made by Tōkyō Kōgaku (maker of the Topcon cameras) in 1958–60. It was available in various configurations — metered, unmetered, grey-finished, and rebadged as the Sawyer's Mark IV for the Sawyer's company in Portland, Oregon. The Primo Jr itself was distributed in Japan by Ōsawa Shōkai, owner of the Primo brand, and in the US by Beseler. Context The Primo Jr was made during the brief 4×4 camera boom of the late 1950s. It was released one year after the 1957 Rolleiflex Baby Grey, and was the first Japanese 4×4 TLRs, beating the Yashica-44 by a small margin: both models were announced in magazines dated May 1958 but the Primo Jr was advertised the same month whereas the Yashica was advertised from July. , pp.399 and 410. Among 4×4 "superslide" TLR cameras, the Primo Jr was lauded for the bright viewfinder, and the sharp Topcor 60 f/2.8 taking lens. Other features include pop-up sports finder and magnifier, crank wind instead of dial wind (a luxury feature in 4×4 TLRs of those days), bright Toko 60 f/2.8 viewing lens, solid build and luxury finish. It is comparable in quality to the 4×4 Rolleiflex. Description The Primo Jr has the classical TLR shape. The front standard moves back and forth for focusing. The focus knob is on the photographer's left; it contains a film reminder and has a distance scale engraved in metres or in feet and depth-of-field indications. The camera focuses down to 0.65 metre or 2.2 feet, which is quite close compared to its competitors. It seems that the cameras engraved in metres have a film reminder in DIN and those engraved in feet have a film reminder in ASA. The film is advanced by a crank on the photographer's right, and the shutter is wound at the same time. There is a round exposure counter window on the same side, near the strap lug. The exposure counter is activated by a button sliding to the rear, placed above the advance crank and protected by a smaller lock button. The advance crank may jam due to improper activation of the exposure counter while there is no film in the camera; in that case the instruction manual recommends to open the back and manually turn the film-sensing wheel until the exposure counter is freed again, then to press the release button. The position of the first exposure is set via a red window at the bottom of the back, protected by a vertically sliding cover. The L-shaped back is locked by a large knob surrounding the tripod thread, with O'' and ''C indications. The viewing hood contains a sportsfinder and a large magnifying lens. The viewing screen has parallax indications and a Fresnel lens, called "Toko Bright" in the advertisements. Advertisements dated May 1959 and July 1960 reproduced in , p.274. This page of hiro's website reproduces a patent by Tōkyō Kōgaku submitted in December 1952 and published in September 1955, concerning the production of a Fresnel lens. The unmetered model has a regular nameplate, with PRIMO–JR and the serial number. The Primo Jr has a Seikosha-MXL or Seikosha-SLV shutter (B, 1–500), and the aperture range goes from 2.8 to 22. The release button is at the bottom of the front standard and has a thread for a cable release, as well as a lock to prevent accidental shutter firing; there is a PC synch socket on the opposite side and the camera has no self-timer. The shutter speed is set by a lever placed next to the taking lens, on the photographer's right. The user manual recommends not to switch to 1/500 when the shutter is cocked. Instruction manual reproduced here at butkus.org. There is a Light Value scale going from 3 to 18 on the opposite side, inscribed on a plate surrounding the taking lens and rotating together with the speed lever. Shutter speed and aperture are interlinked mechanically so that once one sets the proper Light Value, moving the shutter lever will automatically adjust the aperture and retain the same total exposure. , p.924, says that the version with Seikosha-MXL has no Light-Value system, but this is a mistake. For example, if one were to set the camera to 1/50 at f/11 and then move the shutter dial to 1/100, the camera will automatically change the aperture to f/8 and so on. The speed and aperture both appear in a window placed above the viewing lens, visible by the photographer in the normal picture-taking position. The aperture can be set by using the left-hand lever and looking at this window, without using the Light-Value system. The taking lens is a four-element Topcor 6cm f/2.8, and the viewing lens is a Toko 6cm f/2.8 triplet. Number of elements: instruction manual reproduced here at butkus.org. They have bayonet attachments for filters and a hood. The hinged lens cap is inscribed PRIMO or SAWYER'S in front of the viewing lens, and has a protruding part at the bottom protecting the shutter release. The camera has no built-in accessory shoe, but an auxiliary shoe can be attached to the internal bayonet of the viewing lens. Accessory pictured in this page of hiro's website. Commercial life and evolution Meterless Primo Jr, Seikosha-MXL The meterless Primo Jr was announced in Japanese camera magazines dated May and June 1958, and Japanese advertisements are reported from May 1958 to June 1960. , p.399. The first production version has a Seikosha-MXL shutter. In , items 2223–4, the version with Seikosha-MXL is called "Primo-Jr. I" and the version with Seikosha-SLV is called "Primo-Jr. II". It seems that these designations were never officially used and were invented by the authors of the book. The name "Primo Jr. II" is repeated in , p.924, certainly after . The advertisement in the May 1959 issue of , placed by the distributor Ōsawa Shōkai, lists this model as the "44 Primo JR" (44プリモJR), at the price of (case included), along with the Primo Look projector for 4×4cm and 35mm slides. Advertisement reproduced in , p.274. The Primo Jr was distributed in the US by Beseler, and the price in 1959 was $69.95. In late 1959, the Primo Jr was offered for free to any buyer of a Beseler B Topcon (costing $295.00), as part of a promotional offer ending on 15 January 1960. Copy of an advertisement observed in an online auction. The examples with Seikosha-MXL shutter have an M/F/X selector under the taking lens, for electronic flash or different types of flash bulbs. The shutter name SEIKOSHA–MXL is inscribed on the black plate with the Light Value scale. This plate also has the company name, either TOKYO KOGAKU or TOKYO OPTICAL CO. (see below). The inside of the back is inscribed TOKYO OPTICAL CO. on some examples, but not all. Compare the example pictured in this page at Aya's Camera (with no marking inside the back) and the example pictured here and here by the 44 Club and the Topcon Club (with a marking inside the back). The grey example pictured here by the 44 Club has no marking inside the back either. The early cameras have TOKYO KOGAKU on the Light-Value scale, Tokyo Kogaku on both lens rims and no logo on the viewing hood. They also have MADE IN JAPAN below the focus knob. See this page at hiro's website. See also the very early example pictured in this page at Aya's Camera, with taking lens no.26004x. Later cameras have TOKYO OPTICAL CO. and no company name on the lens rims. They also have the word JAPAN on the tripod socket, instead of MADE IN JAPAN under the focus knob, and the film reminder now has red and white engravings and a higher sensitivity range. Most cameras have a round TKK TOKO logo on the viewing hood, but at least some are known without this logo. Example pictured in this page of SF World of Photos, and examples reported in this table at hiro's website. One source mentions that some examples have brownish instead of black depth-of-field and Light-Value scales, but this might be caused by wear. See this page of hiro's website for a comparison of brownish and black depth-of-field plates. The brown depth-of-field plates seen so far have an irregular finish, and the colour might be caused by the rub of the fingers. Minor changes are reported in the anti-reflection baffles of the exposure chamber. See this page and this page of hiro's website. Towards the end of the production, the pressure plate for the supply spool was replaced by a roller. See this page of hiro's website. According to this table of the same website and to an example observed in an online auction, the transition occurred between body no.2820xx and 284494. Grey edition The meterless Primo Jr with Seikosha-MXL also exists in a grey edition, probably made for the Japanese market only. Examples pictured here at Chronofile and here and here at the 44 Club. No grey example has yet been observed outside Japan. The main body, viewing hood, front standard, nameplate and back are painted light grey, and the base of the viewing hood has a hammertone paint of a different shade of grey. The sideplates, back, front standard and film flange are covered with light grey leatherette. The distance scale and the Light-Value scale are silver and the depth-of-field scale is light grey, all with black markings. The grey edition comes with an assorted grey lens cap and lens hood. The lens hood is pictured in this post of the Topcon Club forum. It has been observed with a rigid grey ever-ready case, probably specific to the grey Primo Jr. Example pictured in this page at Damu kikō. The grey edition of the Primo Jr is pictured in the May 1959 advertisement in cited above, even if the graphical design of the advertisement does not make this obvious. Sawyer's Mark IV The Sawyer's Mark IV is a rebadged version of the meterless Primo Jr with Seikosha-MXL. , p.870, lists a version of the Sawyer's Mark IV with a Seikosha-SLV, but this seems to be a mistake. The nameplate reads SAWYER'S MARK IV and the viewing hood has a round SAWYER'S IV logo. Most examples have SAWYER'S JAPAN, LTD. on the Light-Value scale, but some have TOKYO OPTICAL CO. instead. TOKYO OPTICAL CO.: example pictured here and here at SF World of Photos, example pictured here at Camera Collection Minorhouse, and example observed for sale at a dealer. It seems that all the cameras have TOKYO OPTICAL CO. inside the back. The Sawyer's Mark IV probably all have the distance scale in feet and the film reminder in ASA. The Sawyer's Mark IV was distributed by Sawyer's Inc., Portland. Instruction manual reproduced in this page at onetwoseven.org.uk. It is not known if the name Sawyer's Japan Ltd. inscribed on the camera and repeated on the user manual effectively corresponds to a Japanese sub-company of Sawyer's or is merely a dummy name for Tōkyō Kōgaku. Metered Primo Jr The metered Primo Jr was announced in a column of the March 1960 issue of Shashin Salon, about the 1960 Japan Camera Show; it was later featured in other magazines dated June and July and was advertised from July to October. , p.399. In the July advertisement in , the camera is called "44 Primo JR", the same as in the May 1959 advertisement, the shutter is mentioned as a Seikosha-MXL and the price is unchanged at (case included). Advertisement reproduced in , p.274. The exposure meter takes the place of the nameplate; the selenium cell is to the photographer's left and the galvanometer is on the opposite side. The meter needle is above the galvanometer and the ASA setting is at the front, with the words ASA INDEX inscribed in red. There is a small PRIMO–JR nameplate below the ASA setting, and the serial number is engraved behind the galvanometer. All the examples of the metered Primo Jr known so far have the Seikosha-MXL shutter, the TOKYO OPTICAL CO. engraving and the logo on the viewing hood. Meterless Primo Jr, Seikosha-SLV The meterless Primo Jr was modified at some time. The late Primo Jr has a Seikosha-SLV shutter and other minor changes. The new shutter still has the Light-Value system connecting the speed and aperture. The red M/F/X selector of the previous models is replaced by a silver M/X selector, placed just below the Light-Value setting lever. The new shutter reportedly has a self-timer. Self-timer: this page of hiro's website. Other minor changes are visible: a shutter lock is added around the release button, the back latch and the bayonet attachments have a slightly different shape, there is an additional pressure spring inside the back for the take-up spool, and a small hump behind the exposure counter activation button. All the examples observed so far with the Seikosha-SLV have the company name TOKYO OPTICAL CO. and no logo on the hood. At least one source mentions a metered Primo Jr with Seikosha-SLV, but its existence is unconfirmed. Antonetto and Russo, p.31. Production estimate The body numbers are normally in the 26xxxx, 27xxxx or 28xxxx range for the meterless model with Seikosha-MXL, including the grey edition and the Sawyer's Mark IV. The camera pictured in the user manual has body no.260016 and taking lens no.26001x; this is a hint that the number sequence started at 260001. Instruction manual reproduced here at butkus.org. The highest body number reported so far in this sequence is 2860xx, Number reported in this table at hiro's website. giving a rough estimate of 27,000 examples. The body numbers of the metered Primo Jr are in the 25xxxx range, even if this model was released after the standard one. The highest body number seen so far is 253371, giving a rough production estimate of 4,000. The lenses were shared with the meterless model, with numbers in the 27xxxx range. The Primo Jr with Seikosha-SLV have a body number and lens numbers in the 36xxxx range, indicating a new production batch. The highest body number reported so far is 364423, See here at Artfact. for a rough production estimate of 5,000 units. Some meterless Primo Jr are reported with a body number in the 365xxx range, lens numbers in the 27xxxx range, a Seikosha-MXL shutter and all the features of the early models. Example reported here at Frugal Photographer: body no.365151, taking lens no.279229 and viewing lens no.275397. Example observed in an online auction: body no.365249 reported, taking lens no.2747x4, viewing lens no.2739x2. It looks like the company used an old stock of parts to assemble a last batch of cameras, numbered in the 36xxxx sequence even if they have none of its features. Another possibility would be that new nameplates with new serial numbers were mounted on some older cameras repaired by the company. Notes Bibliography * Pp.31–2. * Items 1511–2. * P.98. * Pp.870 and 924. * Items 2223–4 and 2254. * Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten (私の二眼レフカメラ展, Exhibition of twin lens reflex cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P.31. Links General links In English: * Primo Jr (with and without meter) at Frugal Photographer * Sawyer's Mark IV at Photography for Profit or Fun * Sawyer's Mark IV in Dschneller's Flickr space * Primo Jr picture by Fabrizio Verni at pbase * Pages at medfmt: ** Primo Jr ** Sawyer's Mark IV by Karl Bryan * Sawyer's Mark IV at onetwoseven.org.uk * Primo Jr at CollectiBlend In French: * Sawyer's Mark IV among 4×4 TLR cameras at Dirapon's website In Japanese: * Primo Jr in the 127 website by hiro, with a table of minor changes * Primo Jr in Aya's Camera site * Primo Jr (Seikosha-SLV) at Hayata Camera Laboratory * Primo Jr and repair notes (part 1 and part 2) at Chakure no garakuta-bako (the main image can be displayed in a larger size) * Primo Jr (grey model) at Chronofile * Sawyer's Mark IV at Cam's * Pages of the 44 Club: ** How to use the Primo Jr, showing a grey and a black camera ** Primo Jr and Sawyer's Mark IV side by side ** Primo Jr vs Topcoflex, scroll down to see a grey and a black camera together ** List of 4×4cm TLRs * Pages of the Topcon Club website ** Other Topcon cameras, including the Primo Jr ** Primo Jr vs Topcoflex ** forum posts showing the grey model: http://cameraoasis.hmc5.com/TCcbbs/cbbs.cgi?mode=one&namber=492&type=11&space=120&no=0&P=R, http://cameraoasis.hmc5.com/TCcbbs/cbbs.cgi?mode=one&namber=495&type=11&space=165&no=0&P=R * Primo Jr to asobō website * Primo Jr (grey model) and other posts at Damu kikō * Pages at Asacame: ** Primo Jr, Minolta Miniflex and Walz Automat 44 ** Japanese 4×4 TLRs, including the Primo Jr * Sawyer's Mark IV alone and with a Primo Jr at SF World of Photos * Sawyer's Mark IV at Hashimoto Masaru's website * Sawyer's Mark IV at Tarosworld * Sawyer's Mark IV at Camera Collection Minorhouse * Primo Jr in a page by Rikisan * Sawyer's Mark IV in a page of wanted cameras in the je2luz camera site * Primo Jr (with and without meter) and other 4×4 TLRs at Nana-chōme no tabe (click on the picture to enlarge) In Chinese: * Sawyer's Mark IV among other 4×4 TLRs at www.chinesecamera.net In Korean: * Sawyer's Mark IV among other TLRs in Gut-Bucket's blog (with some English) Instruction manuals In English: * Instruction manual for the Primo Jr and for the Sawyer's Mark IV at butkus.org's instruction manual library * Instruction manual for the Primo Jr in the instruction manual section of www.collection-appareils.fr * Instruction manual for the Sawyer's Mark IV in the instruction manual section of kyphoto.com's Favorite Classics * Instruction manual for the Sawyer's Mark IV downloadable (pdf format) from the page on the Sawyer's Mark IV at onetwoseven.org.uk In Japanese: * Japanese instruction manual for the Primo Jr at Damu kikō Category: Japanese 4x4 TLR Category: Topcon Category: P